2017 Fall Leadership Summit: Joint Tour Recap

By Katelyn Wujciga, Marketing Manager, National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) 

We had a great turnout at this year’s Fall Leadership Summit in Boston, MA, at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. On Wednesday, September 6, 2017, attendees were transported to Westwood, MA, for an engaging joint tour sponsored by Marble & Granite, Inc. and Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops to learn about the history of the stone industry, and fabrication of stone and cabinetry.

 

 

 

The first stop on the tour was Marble & Granite, Inc. Upon arrival, the group enjoyed lunch, and took part in a History of Stone class before touring the facility.

“I found the History of Stone class informative and will be better prepared to service our clients needs. It was also impressive to tour the fabrication facility to see how many technological advances have been made in the manufacturing process,” said NARI member Leo Lantz of Leo Lantz Construction, Inc.

“The staff at Marble and Granite, Inc. did a great job of explaining the different types of natural stones available and how they are formed.  We buy stone, but I found it very enlightening to learn how it comes about. Then, we had a tour of their inside warehouse and the different stones available for their customers to choose from. I found it fascinating to learn about how manufacturers add color to Onyx or some other natural stone,” said NARI member David Caputo of G&L and Sons Renovations, LLC.

Next, the group headed to Metropolitan Cabinets and Countertops, where they toured the showroom and fabrication facility to view stone fabrication and cabinet manufacturing.

“Metropolitan has a beautiful showroom with some really cool new products.  I really enjoyed the fabrication part of this tour and seeing up close the different pieces as they went through the fabrication process.  The eye for detail that is required to make some of the closer tolerance cuts for their countertops was impressive,” said NARI member Jessie Cannizzaro of Milestone Plumbing, Inc.

“The tour of the Cabinet factory was wonderful. The owner and his daughter really showed their passion for what they do. Seeing a live, in-action operating factory making cabinets was great, as well as the new technology to make the product better was super. I will always try to attend anything demonstrating the science or engineering of our industry,” said NARI member Laurence Carolan of House of Laurence.

The joint tour was a great way to kick off our 2017 Fall Leadership Summit!

“I thought both tours were very well done. I never knew there was so much to know about the different types of natural stone. They did an excellent job of presenting the information in the conference room, and the tour was very well done. The lunch was also very good.  We also appreciated the opportunity to tour Metropolitan’s shop. The cabinet shops in our area rarely allow us to see their shops because of restrictions their insurance providers lay down, so it was very nice to see a working facility. It was very impressive!” said NARI member Gary Fassbender of Distinctive Renovations.

Please like our Facebook page to see more pictures from the Summit.

About Marble & Granite, Inc.

For over 25 years, Marble & Granite has been importing first-class stone from around the world. With team members in South America and Europe—and ownership travelling around the globe to source and hand-select material—they are always on the leading edge of design, and strive to satisfy the most discriminating tastes. 

About Metropolitan Cabinets & Countertops

Since 1984, this family run business has been providing high quality products to the trade. As the largest manufacturer of cabinetry & countertops in the Northeast, Metropolitan designs stylish & functional spaces for residential homes & apartment buildings. Cabinets are milled and countertops are fabricated in their newly expanded 145,000/sf Norwood, MA factory.

Both tour sponsors are members of the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and Building Stone Institute (BSI). Together, MIA and BSI, known as MIA+BSI: The Natural Stone Institute, serve more than 1900 members in 55 countries who represent every aspect of the natural stone industry, offering them a wide array of technical and training resources, professional development, regulatory advocacy, and networking events. MIA+BSI is a 501C-6 not for profit organization, dedicated to the natural stone industry. To reach MIA+BSI: The Natural Stone Institute directly, please send them an e-mail.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katelyn Wujciga is the Marketing Manager for the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). She is a marketing professional with over 10 years experience, and came to NARI with both Association and construction experience. If you would like to reach Katelyn, please e-mail her at kwujciga@nari.org.